GIVING it his best shot. That’s Edgworth man Richard Law who has a new goal in life.

He has given up his job as a solicitor and harnessed his soccer and corporate skills by launching his own Shooting Stars Football Academy.

Richard, aged 28, a former member of Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers academies, now provides elite coaching for children of all ages.

Shooting Stars offers pre-school and school clubs coaching and one-to-one tuition and also provides the same high level of coaching at corporate events, birthday parties and summer/half term camps.

He played for both Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers’ schools of excellence and was manger of Bury FC Ladies for 18 months.

After studying at university, he became a solicitor and worked in Manchester for five years.

Richard said: "I became extremely unhappy and disillusioned with corporate life. I decided to do my FA coaching badges whilst I was working with a view to going it alone doing football coaching. Unfortunately, even when I got my badges, I kept making excuses up for not quitting work due to fear of failure.

“I then received news that I was being made redundant. For most people, this would be a bad thing but I was ecstatic. It forced me to break away from it all and pursue my passion, which is football coaching, and I finally set the company up.”

He added: “As a passionate coach and football fan, I was frustrated by the distinct lack of high quality coaching provided to young kids, both in schools and at local clubs. I felt this was unacceptable and that the poor level of coaching was contributing to the latest generation’s lack of interest in sport and the ever-worsening obesity epidemic.”

Since he launched the company, Richard has been working hard to spread the word about his Shooting Stars Football Academy. “I use social media, organised a tournament and go out in the community to talk to people. The coaching can cater for any age."

Richard, who is assisted by three other coaches, has ambitions to grow the business and hopefully help produce a new generation of soccer stars. “In the long-term, I want to make Shooting Stars a national brand, something that is recognised as being synonymous with football coaching.”

For more details visit www.shootingstarsfootball.co.uk